A Stag in the Headlights
by Tessandra
Summary: Summer before 7th year, Lily finds an injured stag in her yard which later turns into an injured James in her bedroom. The blackmail potential is huge. LoveHate. Arrogant James, Fiery Lily. Yes, you want to read this.
1. Chapter 1

"Lily! Garbage!"

Lily Evans sighed in disgust. "Sure Mom," she hollered down the stairs. "In a few minutes." She returned to her report for Transformation, frowning a little. She would have given anything to be able to use her magic over the summer, but of course the Ministry forbade that. _One more week,_ she thought happily. _One more week and I'll be back at Hogwarts! _ She was counting the hours. She loved her family and all, but after living life with magic, being deprived of it was like a blind person gaining sight and than losing it.

Lily looked up at all the pictures that lined her wall, wizard pictures with all her friends waving happily. There was Muggle-born Cori Matthews and Danaelle Forlay, from a witch family. The three of them had been best friends since they had met on the train as first years. There were photos of the rest of her friends, and a few scattered pictures of the beautiful Hogwarts landscape and Hogsmead.

Her attention was caught by one in the corner, one she would have loved if not for a singular problem. Lily, Cori, and Danaelle were at the Halloween Dance, date at the arm, picture perfect, all six of them laughing at some comment Dana had made. It would have been wonderful, if not for James Potter snogging his newest fling in the background.

Lily shuddered. Just thinking about him annoyed her. They had been rivals since that day six years ago when he insulted her clothes and she told him she hoped he would be sorted into Slytherin. He'd retorted that there was no chance of that; besides, what did a stupid Muggle know about Houses?

A brief fistfight had insued, the first and last one Lily had at Hogwarts. Lily walked away with her dignity hurt and her braids slightly messy. James left with his dignity hurt, two black eyes, and three painful scratches on his arm from her fingers.

Unfortunately, they were both sorted into the same house, and never got along again. For their entire fifth year, James had wanted Lily to go out with him, but she refused, sure it was another prank.

"Li_ly_! I told you to do the garbage five minutes ago!"

"I'm coming!"

Lily clamored down the stairs. Don't think about Potter, she told herself. He is definitely not worth it. She debated taking her jacket to cover up her nightgown, which was a little too embarrassingly frilly to be seen in, but decided against it. It was far too hot. She lugged the bag down her driveway in bare feet, then started to head back up to her house. A noise from across the road distracted her, though, and she turned towards it. It sounded like a hurt animal. Frowning, Lily glanced up and down the street. She lived in a nice neighborhood, with little real trees, though she knew there was a hunting reserve about a mile away. She flinched, hating to think about the deer killed.

The noise sounded again, and she frowned harder. It did sound like a hurt deer, but weren't they out of season? Was someone hunting illegally?

If they were, she certainly didn't want to be caught outside by someone with a gun, especially in her flimsy white nightgown. She started to back away towards her house, when a movement caught her eye. Something - something fourlegged - was moving across the street. She stood frozen, watching it.

Suddenly, a road roared around the corner, and came zooming towards it. For a second Lily saw the animal, a deer in the headlights, before it bolted across the road, narrowly avoiding the car - but hitting Lily instead.

Ow, she thought, a few seconds later when she was able to think. Really ow. She was staring up at the sky with a deer - a stag - sprawled across her. Gingerly, she attempted to move away, managing to sit up. She righted her dress, then looked at the animal. He was bleeding from the leg; it was only a trickle, but looked like he had already lost a fair amount of blood.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It's going to be okay." She wasn't sure it would be - in addition to the wound, he also looked pretty scraped up on the rest of him. "Weren't expecting hunters this time of year, were you?" she murmured, patting the top of his head gently. She smiled. He was cute - sort of like an oversized Bambi.

If only she had her wand . . . She knew she wasn't allowed to use magic, but Cori had last summer and when she explained the reasons to Professor Dumbledore, he had erased her record. She was pretty sure she could make some of the teachers believe saving a stag was a good reason to use magic; she really didn't want to let it die.

She thought about calling the vet, but that would take to long. She wanted to save the poor animal now. She started to walk away, and he raised himself and stumbled after her.

"No, wait here," she told him, then reconsidered. Petunia was asleep, and her dad wasn't home from work yet. Her mom was in the back of the house. She could lead the stag inside then rush up to get her broom . . . She giggled a little. Take an animal inside the house? Her parents would throw a fit!

Lily looked back at it, and sobered. The blood hadn't stopped flowing, and she realized he was favoring one of his back legs as well. "Come on," she told him, placed her hand on his shoulder and walking him to her back door. They slipped inside quietly, into the living room. "Lie down," Lily told him, pointing to the floor, but he just stared at her, his eyes glazed with pain.

Deciding not to waste any more time, Lily rushed up the stairs and started to search the floor of her room for he wand. She had just been polishing it the other day. . . There it was!

To her surprise, she heard unsteady thumps on the stairs. "Oh my god," she whispered, and ran out to see the stag limping up the stairs, completely awkward. "You idiot," she moaned softly, glancing around nervously to make sure no one came. She waved her hands. "Shoo. Go downstairs."

He didn't. Painstakingly, he maneuvered up them, then followed Lily to her room, leaving a light trail of blood behind. He collapsed on her carpet, making mournful little noises. Wincing in compassion, Lily reached for her wand. Her Herbology had always been good, hopefully good enough to heal, even though Charms was by far her best subject. Making a potion would be better, of course, but she couldn't find any of the ingredients she needed in the Muggle world.

"Um . . . _corlatos!_" Lily whispered, skimming one of her books. She tensed, as if she would suddenly get in trouble for using magic, but of course, nothing happened. Murmuring a few more words, she stopped the blood and made a temporary patch that would hold the skin together until they started to heal by themselves. There was a plant she should feed him that would help his body a lot . . . She'd just have to convince her mom to take her to a health food store the next day.

"It's going to be okay," Lily whispered, again and again, pausing only to clean up the blood leading to her room. She stayed by the stag's side, comforting him until they both fell asleep on her floor.

"Lily!"

"I already _did _the garbage," she murmured sleepily, rolling over. Her bed seemed to be unordinary bumpy and uncomfortable this morning.

"Lily, Dave's on the phone!"

Lily began to pull herself back from the edge of sleep. Dave. Dave was on the phone. That was nice. Did her mother particularly want Lily to do something about this? Sleep. Sleep was nice . . .

"Lily!"

"Urg . . ." Rubbing her eyes, Lily sat up, her mind finally beginning to function. With a start, she looked down at the stag, still lying still on the ground. The skin was raw, but the spell had quickly started the healing. He would be fine in four or five days, Lily thought with relief. "Stay there," she whispered to him, and he blinked once. Smiling, Lily hurried downstairs, taking the phone from her mother.

"Hi Dave," she said. "Don't you ever sleep?"

"It's eleven thirty, Lily," he said testily. "It's not good to sleep so late."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Sure Dave. Whatever you say. So, what's up?"

"I was thinking we'd go see Red Thunder today. It got great reviews in the paper."

"Okay."

"I'll pick you up in an hour," Dave said, and they ended their conversation.

Lily wished Dave could be a little more romantic once in a while, and a little less possessive. That was another reason she was glad school was here - they'd agreed that they would break up once it started, as neither worked to well with long distance relationships.

Lily brought up some meat, grass, and water for the deer, not exactly sure what one ate. She was greeted at her window by an owl. A sense of dread filled her, even though she had been expecting it. She opened the letter, scarcely breathing.

_Dear Ms. Evans_

_We have received intelligence that a Mending Charm was used at your place of residence at half past nine this morning. _

_As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside of school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school _

_(Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C)._

_We would also like you remember that any magical activity that risks notice by non- magical members of the community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy._

_Enjoy Your Holidays!_

_Anita Hopkirk_

_Improper Use of Magic Office_

_Ministry of Magic_

Lily lay down the letter, hands trembling a little and feeling like an idiot about it. Most of the kids she knew - that is, those liable to get a letter like this in the first place - would probably laugh it off. Lily, however, didn't want to get in any trouble with her school, especially considering her hopes - alright, expectations - of that head girl letter this year. If only the stag had waited one week more to be injured, so that she would have turned seventeen and have reached her majority. She shrugged it off. Animals couldn't chose when they were hurt.

She quickly wrote a letter explaining about the stag, stressing the importance of helping others and how, as a responsible person, she felt it was her duty to preserve life, and a hundred other things that officials often lap up. Satisfied, she stuck in a picture of the stag that she took, and gave the envelope to the owl to carry away. Breathing much more steadily now that that was taken care of, Lily went downstairs to meet her boyfriend, leaving the healing stag alone in her empty room.

Pain.

That was the first thing he was aware of as he lay there. There had been lots of pain, an explosion, but now it had lessened, down to a dull throb, a healthy throb. The pain was almost gone.

Slowly, he raised his head. The last hours - days? - were bleary. He remembered a calming voice, carpeted room . . . He looked around, surprised at the view he saw, the slightly different, more perceptive view of a stag. He focused his mind, and in a second a young man lay sprawled on the carpeted floor.

"Bloody hell," James Potter murmured. "Where in God's name am I?" He stood up, wincing as a fresh burst of pain racked his leg. He let himself collapse onto a bed, definitely a girl's bed. Everything about the room screamed "girl" from the pale blue walls to the delicate glass animals to the waving celebrity posters. He picked up a copy of the _Daily Lantern, _which was lying on the floor and considered the front page. It was the day after he had been shot by that stupid, idiotic, Muggle, and it seemed to be the most recent one there. James let out a breath, glad he hadn't taken a few days to heal. Whatever witch or wizard who rescued him must have -

He suddenly sat up straight. The deer range he had accidentally let himself be caught in was in a Muggle neighborhood, not near any wizards he had heard of at all. It was pure luck, probably, that a wizard had happened upon him. It wold have been a royal pain it he had been stuck being tended by a non-wizard family.

James looked around the room again, a slow smile beginning to form on his face. He was in a witch's room - a teen witch. He might even know the girl, if she went to Hogwarts and was in his year, or close to it. Wouldn't she be surprised to find James Potter in her room?

He hobbled across the floor, swearing about his knee, until he'd reached the photos tacked onto the far wall. His eyes widened as he looked at the first one - the Gryffindor common room, filled with everyone at their Quidditch-winning celebration last year. Another was of two of the girls in his year - Cori and Dana, blowing kisses towards the camera and giggling like mad. James wondered what would happen if this was one of their families - it could only be Cori's, come to think of it. Danaelle came from a wizarding family almost as old as his own, in a wizard district.

He knew Dana and Cori well; how could he not, when he had had classes with them for the past six years? And he knew perfectly well who their best friend was. He scowled. After his huge crush on her fifth year, their rivalry had increased even more then it had the previous four years. Evans just wouldn't give him a chance, wouldn't believe that he actually wanted her, believed himself in _love_ with her.

Or in lust. But they were almost the same, weren't they?

He moved to the other pictures. Again, Cori and Dana were featured in most of them, along with Evans. James himself was actually in some of them, but always off in the background, as if him being in the picture was a mistake.

A sense of forbidding was filling James, one he really didn't want focus on. His eye was caught by a textbook, which he flipped open, reading the name that he was already sure he would see. There it was, in the girl's neat, perfect cursive; Lily Evans.

I'm doomed, James thought. Doomed, doomed, doomed. Of all the people at Hogwarts, of all the people in England, I had to end up with the one who completely and utterly despises me. I am such a lucky person. Really, I am. I wonder which she'll do first; flay me alive or tar and feather me? Sighing, James collapsed back on the bed.

And then he sat back up again. This was Lily Evans' bed. _Evans_' bed. James started to smirk. Getting shot by a hunter? That hadn't been fun. Driving one redhead crazy? That had major potential.

**A/N:** Wheeee! It's my first HP fanfic, and, let's see . . . the letter belongs to JK Rowling from CoS. I basically copied it word for word. And this was actually written right after Order, so it's a bit juvenile writing, but I've kept working on it, so I already've written a lot of it. And I'll respond to all reviews.

And everyone . . . he died! And the other was evil! And it was ENTIRELY TOO TERRIBLE TO BE TRUE! And I sobbed through the last fifty pages. . . wow . . . I'm still in shock . . . _dead_. . . I'm a sap . . .Ok. Now we just have to wait for the last book.

Preview:

"**So, Carrots," Potter drawled, enjoying her anger, "What were you doing, dating a Muggle? No wizard good enough for you?"**

"**Who would you suggest? Yourself?" Lily asked testily.**

**Standing beside her bed now, Potter lifted one shoulder and let it fall. "Trust me, Evans," he said in a bored voice, "you just don't interest me anymore. I might have held a torch for you fifth year, but that's long past. Besides," he added in a voice meant to insult, "you're boring as hell."**

**"Well, pardon me for not sleeping with every willing soul!"**

**"Don't kid yourself, Evans. There _isn't _anyone willing to sleep with you."**

**Lily felt her cheeks flame. How had she gotten into talking about this with James Potter? Of all the utterly embarrassing topics. "Like you know what other people think," she said scornfully. "Not to mention the fact that you spent the entire fifth year chasing after me."**

**"Believe me, Carrots," Potter said, amused, "if I wanted you, I could have you."**


	2. Blackmail

"It was fun, Dave," Lily said, smiling as she climbed out of her car. "I'll see you later."

To her surprise - and dismay - he climbed out after her. "You mind if I get a Coke before I'm off?" Without waiting for her answer, he was out of the car and heading for her door. Sighing irritably, Lily followed him. Honestly, if they weren't already planning to break off their relationship before she left, she would dump him anyway. She had dated before, but no one had ever been as bossy and obnoxious as Dave.

Dave snagged the soda from her fridge, then started up the stairs. "Where's your room?" he asked, looking about. While he had been over to her house before, he hadn't been in her bedroom. Or upstairs. Come to think of it, she hadn't ever wanted him in her room. Now, of course would be a bad time. The wounded animal would be a bit hard to explain.

"Uh, Dave?" Lily edged. "How about we stay downstairs?"

A belligerent look crossed his face. "We _always _stay down here, Lils. I want to see your room."

Lily pressed her hands together, then dropped them. "That's a bad idea."

"Why?"

"I'm . . . not really comfortable with you in my room."

He laughed. "Afraid you'll give in to your inner desires?"

"Yes, Dave," Lily deadpanned. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

He chortled again, and finished climbing the stairs. Lily hurried after him, and grabbed his hand as he reached for the door charmingly marked, "Lily's Room."

"Uh, why don't you go get me a soda? And, er, chips?" she asked rather desperately.

"Sure, Lily." He smiled in a self-satisfied way. "And gives you a bit of time to clean up for me doesn't it?"

She smiled at him, feeling as if her cheeks would break as he headed off. Clean up for him? Hah. Hide school books, newspapers, moving pictures, and, oh, right, a stag? Yeah. She ducked into her room and hurriedly began stripping the walls of her things, cursing Dave under her breath. On second thought, maybe she would break up with the guy now. A Muggle in a witch's room was not a good idea.

"Someone's in a bad mood."

With a shriek, Lily spun around. Why was someone in her room? A murderer. No, a rapist. Oh, god, what if it was You-Know-Who? He was going to kidnap her -

Never mind, she though with a wave of relief. It was only James Potter.

Wait a minute -

__

"James Potter?" she hissed in disbelief, then rubbed her eyes. She had to be imagining things After all, in reality James Potter could not be sprawled across her bed, reading the single Quidditch magazine she had bought on a whim last month. The insufferable, arrogant, egotistical wizard could not be smirking at her, his hair as tousled as always, blue eyes laughing. And it wasn't a nice laugh either, Lily thought darkly. It was a - a - a really mean laugh.

Great. As usual in the presence of Potter, her speech was deteriorating. It was as though his own IQ rubbed off on hers.

"What . . ." Lily started, then trailed off. "Not possible," she choked out. "Not funny either." Her eyes narrowed. "Maybe it's a boggart . . ." she murmured to herself.

James smirk fell away. "Thanks a lot," he snapped. "Glad to know I am the most horrifying, disgusting thing in existence for you. Well, I'll have you know that I didn't particularly want to be here either."

"Why are you here?" Lily asked, her mind still not quite getting around the fact that Potter, her largest rival, was now sitting up straight on her bed.

Ew. She would have to wash her sheets.

"Why was the stag here?" he shot back at her.

Well, because it was wounded, duh . . .

Lily's eyes widened as his words clicked with her mind and made sense. An animagus? _Potter?_ Impossible. But if it was true . . . Potter's thoughts seemed to mirroring her own, and he pulled up his jean leg to show a bound, but still bloody wound.

"Hey babe, got the soda . . ."

Lily spun around a second time, to see Dave enter, carrying their drinks and a bag of chips. Oh, no, she thought. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Potter was worse then a stag in her room. A stag could cause befuddlement and confusion. Potter could cause - damage.

Dave stopped short, then put everything down with a thunk. "Who are _you_?" he demanded of the other, putting a protective - or possessive - arm around Lily's waist.

Potter had already covered the wound again. "Does it matter?" he drawled in a bored tone. Lily narrowed her eyes, half expecting him to pull out that infuriating snitch and toy with it.

"Yeah, it matters. I want to know what some stupid jerk is doing on my girlfriend's bed," he demanded angrily. Lily closed her eyes, wincing. She had seen the gleam of interest in James. She was doomed. Doomed, doomed, doomed.

Potter raised an eyebrow. "Your girlfriend?" he repeated, looking over Dave, then glancing away as though he was found lacking. "Why's she dating _you?_"

"Because I like him," Lily spat before either of the guys could say anything. Not that she did that much. But he didn't know that. And Potter didn't either. And - and hell, she'd snog Dave like crazy if it convinced Potter she liked him. Not that she needed to. He was just so . . . smug.

Lily hated being scatterbrained.

Potter made her scatterbrained.

Therefore, Lily hated Potter.

She shook her head. _If I don't start thinking logically soon, I'm going to have a meltdown._ If she could only pull herself together - right. She was trying to convince Potter she liked her boyfriend. Not that she cared.

Of course not.

She glanced at Dave, to see how he was taking the random guy in her room. Apparently not well, as his face looked like thunder, and the arm around her was starting to squeeze. _Oh great, _she thought, _now Dave'll probably think I'm cheating on him._

Potter started to smile slowly, which caused Lily to experience a sensation akin to worm slithering around her stomach. She started to speak, but Potter was faster. "I should have realized," he said sadly. He looked at Dave. "Sorry, mate. I didn't know she had a boyfriend."

"What?" Lily asked blankly

"The hell you didn't!" Dave snarled, letting go of Lily and stepping in front of her.

"Wait - what?" Lily interjected, trying to catch up with Potter's smugness and Dave's outrage. "Oh - no!" she said in realization. "I haven't -!" she began in anger. "Dave, don't listen to him, he's just trying to get a rise out of you." She shot Potter a look of disgust. "He's from my school. I have no idea how he got here."

Potter sighed, and Lily longed to hit him. "Look," Potter said, "I am sorry. I just dropped by - you know Lily, she'll always put out for a fellow in need - but I'll be going now -"

Lily could've strangled Potter.

"This is completely unfair," she said slowly, mustering up her strength and trying not to act as though she wanted to kill her coolly amused classmate. "I have done nothing wrong, and you know it."

Dave considered her, then nodded grimly. It was all Lily could do not to toss a superior look at Potter.

"Probably been double-timing you all along," Potter said, a little furrow created in his brow now that Dave hadn't broken immediately.

"Lily wouldn't," Dave said, and Lily genuinely wanted to kiss him.

"Wish that was true," Potter said with a shrug. "But seeing you here, I know I've certainly been taken in -"

"I have not -" she began.

"-and I'd have to say the same about you," Potter continued, smoothly overpowering Lily's voice. "It's certainly no mistake that I'm on her bed - after all, I spent the night here."

Dave's eyes met Lily's. He watched her, waiting for her denial. She swallowed hard. It certainly hadn't been like Potter was implying. "He did not," she said angrily, put the second of delay had obviously registered.

"I certainly did," Potter said, managing to sound affronted. He furrowed his brow lower. "Oh - is that where you went for the last few hours? With him? And I did too stay here!" he added petulantly.

"James Potter-"

"He was here," Dave broke in. "And that's why you wanted me to stay out, isn't it?"

"Just wait a moment -" Lily begged, voice rising. She sucked in a breath, calming herself. She would not allow herself to get upset in front of James Potter.

"Sorry, mate," the evil creature said as Lily glared at him. "If I'd known she was with you, I'd never have come."

"You're welcome to her," Dave said, scowling. "Cheers," he ended angrily, storming out of the room.

Lily spun around, eyes flashing as they clashed with her nemesis. "Dave is my boyfriend, you idiot," she hissed.

Potter grinned at her, making Lily feel even more infuriated than before. "He _was_ your boyfriend," he corrected. "Tragically, he just dumped you."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "Get out of my room."

"Nah, don't think I will. Your bed's so comfortable. Care to join me, love?"

"I am _not_ your love," Lily yelled, feeling on the verge of losing what little control she had left.

"No, you're my carrot," Potter said complacently. Lily threw a book at him.

"The carrot joke's a little old, Potter," she said acidly as he dodged the book. It had been a book that started the terrible nickname, in second year; _Anne of Green Gables_. Potter had caught her reading it in the common room, and just for the chance to torment Lily, had grabbed it from her.

"Give it back!" Lily demanded.

"Don't be such a baby," he scoffed. He started to read, dancing around the room as Lily tried to get her novel back. " Gilbert Blythe wasn't used to putting himself out to make a girl look at him and meeting with failure.'"

"Just like you," Lily scoffed, trying to tear the book from his hands and failing.

"'She _should_ look at him, that red-haired Shirley girl with the little pointed chin and the big eyes that weren't like the eyes of any other girl in Avonlea school,'" Potter continued, hopping out of Lily's path and onto a table so he could read a few more lines.

"Gilbert reached across the aisle, picked up the end of Anne's long red braid, held it out at arm's length and said in a piercing whisper, "Carrots! Carrots!" - hey! Carrots! Just like you!" Potter said in delight.

"You are so immature," Lily said, jumping at him.

"Carrots! Carrots!" he taunted, as she chased him around the room. Finally Lily got a hold on it, but Potter wouldn't let go. "They hated each other, didn't they?" he asked with a grin.

Lily scowled. "Yeah," she said. "But they ended up married," she added spitefully, and had the satisfaction of seeing the look of horror that crossed the twelve year old boy's face.

Five years later, Potter still hadn't given up on the ridiculous nickname, and to her annoyance, it still got to Lily.

"So, Carrots," Potter drawled, enjoying her anger, "What were you doing, dating a Muggle? No wizard good enough for you?"

"Who would you suggest? Yourself?" Lily asked testily.

Standing beside her bed now, Potter lifted one shoulder and let it fall. "Trust me, Evans," he said in a bored voice, "you just don't interest me anymore. I might have held a torch for you fifth year, but that's long past. Besides," he added in a voice meant to insult, "you're boring as hell."

"Well, pardon me for not sleeping with every willing soul!"

"Don't kid yourself, Evans. There _isn't _anyone willing to sleep with you."

Lily felt her cheeks flame. How had she gotten into talking about this with James Potter? Of all the utterly embarrassing topics. "Like you know what other people think," she said scornfully. "Not to mention the fact that you spent the entire fifth year chasing after me."

"Believe me, Carrots," Potter said, amused, "if I wanted you, I could have you."

"Could you now?" Lily asked angrily. "And I suppose if you kiss me, I'll just melt in your arms?"

"Care to experiment?" Potter countered, voice soft, smooth.

Um, no, Lily thought. She didn't.

Potter took several steps forward, leaving barely four inches between them. Lily found it slightly disconcerting to have to look up to meet his eyes, with amusement. "Come on, Carrots," he whispered, running his fingers through the straight red hair bordering her face. "You know you want me."

"Like hell I do," Lily murmured back.

Potter laughed softly. "Then move away," he told her in a mocking voice, eyes never leaving her own. He trailed his fingers down her bare arms, giving her goosebumps. He held his hands out by his sides. "I'm not stopping you," he said. "Go ahead. Leave."

Physically, he may not have been holding her, but Lily couldn't seem to break free from his gaze. She shivered as he continued to hold it. He laughed again, quietly, triumphantly, curling one arm around her waist, pulling her against him. Lily's eyes widened in shock as she felt the hard counters of his body pressed against her own. She still didn't feel able to move as he placed his hand at the back of her head, winding it through her hair and keeping it there as he moved his face down towards hers.

A moment before their lips collided, Lily's reflexes kicked in and she shoved Potter away from her. "Get away from me," she snapped, shaking. "I'm not just another toy for a spoiled rich boy."

"Spoiled rich boy, am I?" Potter said, taking a step back on his own. "Don't even try to pretend you didn't want it, Lily. Not to yourself."

"I am not pretending anything!" Lily yelled. "In case you've forgotten, _you're_ the one who had a crush on me - _not _the other way around."

"Thanks for clearing that up," Potter said, glaring at her. "I'll be leaving then," he snapped, sweeping past her and into the hallway.

"I hope you fall down the stairs and die!" Lily called after him, spitefully. A second later she heard a yelp, and a series of thumps as if something heavy was falling down the stairs. "Oh my god," she whispered her first sudden, irrational thought, "I killed him!" She dashed out her door and down the hall, eyes wide. Her younger sister had reached the stairs before she did and was gawking down them, mouth and eyes wide open.

James sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, clutching his leg, eyes screwed shut in pain.

"You idiot," Lily said in exasperation. "You reopened your wound."

"And he'll ruin the carpet," Petunia added. "Who is he?"

"A . . . friend," Lily answered as she rushed into the bathroom and then down the stairs, carrying an armful of towels.

"Are you cheating on Dave?" Petunia asked, in a voice that said she wouldn't be surprised. Lily rolled her eyes. Why did everyone think that? Potter wasn't even supposed to be Potter; he was supposed to be a stag. Plus, she wasn't in the mood to listen to her fifteen year old sister whine on and on as she usually did. "What happened to him?" Petunia asked, following Lily down the stairs.

"He got shot."

Petunia gave a little shriek. "Are you harboring fugitives!" she demanded in disbelief. "Oh my god, Lily, that's too much. You are in sooo much trouble when Mum and Dad get home. Wait until they hear this!"

"He is not a fugitive," Lily told her as she wrapped a towel around his leg. "Fugitives have to be smart enough to escape from somewhere," she whispered to Potter. Angry as she was with him, she hoped he didn't die. He was losing a severe amount of blood, she noted, and add that to what he lost yesterday . . . She shook her head. She would just call up a hospital and leave him there if she didn't think he'd do something terrible to the hospital workers in an effort to get out, in which case he probably would get himself killed. Perhaps she could call St. Mungo's?

She wrapped another towel around, not quite daring to use magic in case she really did get kicked out of school - or at least, that's what she told herself. She _hoped _she wasn't so vindictive that she would let him reach death without trying to save him. _I'll use magic if he gets any worse, _she promised herself. "Petunia, would you get the jar of burn ointment in the bathroom?"

She did, reluctantly. Potter appeared passed out, Lily noted critically. He was breathing shallowly, but at least he was breathing, and his pulse was steady. She examined the jar, not knowing if it would be useful or harmful, but it said it was good for small burns and cuts, and Potter had a number of those on his arms, leg, and a few on his face. She rubbed it quickly onto his arm and unwounded leg, trying hard not to think about whose body she was massaging the ointment into.

Hmm. Admittedly, unconscious Potter was rather nicer than awake Potter. And she could think concisely.

When she went to his face, she couldn't help but notice the high cheekbones as she smoothed the cream into the scrapes. She ran one finger along his cheek, then jaw bone, then drew back, startled at what she had done.

"He is sorta cute," Petunia admitted reluctantly.

"And is that your scientific opinion?" Lily said sarcastically. She bit her lip, wishing she had been a bit less harsh. But the whole James-Potter-half-dead-in-her-house-thing was starting to freak her out.

Petunia didn't seem to care. She walked over and considered him. "Do you think he'll die?" she said hopefully.

"Do you think you're morbid?" Lily responded, praying that he wouldn't. She did _not_ want him to die, no matter how much they hated each other . . . despised each other . . .loathed each other. Or at least, she wouldn't _let_ him die even if she oftentimes wished it.

"Of course not," Petunia said sulkily. Her eyes narrowed. "You _are_ cheating on Dave," she reinstated.

"Dave and I . . . are broken up." Lily frowned. At least, she thought they were.

Petunia took a moment to let that sink in. "Well, you moved awful quickly.

"Look, Tunia, Potter and I are not together. We don't even like each other."

"Like anyone would like a freak like you," Petunia snapped, appearing to somehow have become insulted. She stomped off.

"Love you too, sis," Lily muttered, still kneeling beside Potter. Her frown deepened. How long would it be before he woke up? He seemed to be getting paler rather then regaining color. Should she send a letter to his parents, to anyone? It certainly seemed like a good idea. But chances were, his parents and the authorities did not know he was an animagus or that he was disappearing in the dead of night and getting himself shot, and they would be none to happy about. While Lily had no qualms about getting Potter in trouble, especially if it got him off her hands, she had been sort of hoping he would ignore her their 7th year. If she got him in trouble, he would make her last year of Hogwarts living hell.

Not that he didn't try to anyway.

"You won't die," she told him. Then she rocked back on her heels. "Which means you'll wake up and tell me what you were doing around here."

She rocked further back, eyes widening.

Potter was an animagus.

That meant she had blackmail.

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ZestyCruton - First of all, your name is brilliant. _I _want to be a zesty cruton . . . Uh, anyways. You're right. James _is _the only guy who can be completely brainless and still get the girl. Oh, James . . .

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The Devil's Maiden - Look! Almost no waiting required. That's due to half the story being written two years ago, but never mind.!

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J.E.A.R.K.Potter - I KNOW! Dumbledore! Ahhhh! Much wailing ensues. I have to admit, I had no idea it was coming. None. Total shock. I had to lie the book down and snare at the ceiling for several minutes before I could accept it.

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Frecklednproud - I sobbed the last fifty pages. 'Course, I cry at about everything, but this was full-fledged. It was just, so . . . I don't even know. Wow. And on the other side - thanks for the positive comments! I always wondered what happened when Lily found out what James was, since that's always skipped over.

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Starblaze - Thanks! Ha - now how know about the confrontation. And Dave was just a fun throw-away character so Lily and James could bicker. Hope your curiosity is satisfied!

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Kaseylynn444 - See, look? Not a long time! I think my favorite's the "surprisingly good," but yeah, you're right . . .

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the mouse that roared - Ello, you! All right, I have started your fanfic, which is Ron, silly, not Harry, which is why was like, but that's _not _an unlikely pair - but no, you're right, I've never seen Ron and Malfoy before.

Dude, Mouse, your know me, James got hurt in Lily's yard so she could FIND him, silly, so I could write a story. You didn't actually think there was sense in it? I haven't quite picked Lily's character - I'm debating the firebrand per usual, and the rather fumbling for words Lily. Anyway, it's loads of fun.

Erm . . . preview, I guess. Just pulled out a couple paragraphs.

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"You are not going to leave me alone with a conscious, un fevered James Potter, are you?" Lily half-demanded, half-pleaded. "You can't. One of us will kill the other!"

"After all you've went through to keep him safe?" Remus said with a smile. "Think of it as practice for dealing with unruly kids at school. Good bye, Head Girl." He moved towards the door.

"Goodbye, Head Boy," she told him back, and they exchanged smiles only people with long-time confidence of achieving their goal had. He nodded, and while Lily was still trying to take in this turn of events, he had disappeared downstairs and hopped through her fire, barely pausing to holler back, "King's Cross! I'll bring his stuff!"

And he was gone.

"Doomed," Lily whispered to herself. "Doomed, doomed, doomed."


	3. Wounded

Ok, blackmailing would be brilliant, but right now she just wanted Potter out of her sight and mind. And house, and soon, because if he was still here when her parents came home they would throw a fit. Bleeding boys were not exactly their idea of a party.

Sighing, Lily considered who she could enlist to take Potter off her hands. Sirius Black would be more trouble then he was worth, and Peter Pettigrew was too much of a whiner to actually get anything done. However, Remus Lupin might be helpful . . . A fellow Prefect, he was the most serious of the infamous Marauders, though not as angelic as he often appeared to adults.

After hoisting Potter up onto the living room couch - a feat that contained much grunting and grumbling -, Lily fetched the portable phone and sat down in the easy chair facing him. While she, like everyone else at her school, usually used owl post, the phone would be quicker. Lily had no idea if Remus actually _had_ a phone, since most wizard families did not, but she was willing to bet her Muggle-born friend Alexandra would know, as the two had dated each other over the last summer.

A few minutes later Lily hung up, not exactly surprised that Remus had no phone. Alexandra had given her his address though, and told her he had a fireplace in his room if she wanted to visit. (At that point she had made a few suggestive sounds, trying to determine exactly why Lily Evans, who was notorious for not getting along with the Marauders, wanted to talk to one of them.) Still, she had told her how to get to his house, which was why, five minutes later, Lily stuck her head into her own fireplace.

_Why am I putting myself through this?_ Lily wondered, feeling the beginning of butterflies in her stomach. Exactly how was she supposed to explain this to Remus? Hi, your best friend is injured in my house and I want you to get rid of him _now. _Not that promising. And what if he wasn't there?

She didn't have to worry about the last question; Remus was reclining on a low, couch like bed in a room twice the size of Lily's when her head showed up in his fireplace. He choked on the handful of almonds he was eating and stared at Lily's nervous face with a cross between astonishment and utter dismay. "Lily Evans?" he managed, then walked over and kneeled in front of the fireplace, peering at her head as if he didn't believe what he saw.

"Erm," Lily started, wondering what had possessed her to do this. She had a sudden urge to pull her head back into the flames, out of Remus's sight. Maybe she could just . . . bury Potter. In the yard. Or put him in a crate and send him to Hogwarts. "See, actually, Potter's sorta at my house. Um. Unconscious."

Remus blinked, and then his mouth started to curve into a smirk. "Oh," he said in a knowing tone. "So _that's_ how it is. Wondering when that would happen, actually."

Lily felt herself go red as the flames. "Not like that," she snapped. "I suppose you already know," she said disdainfully, "that he's an animagus." Then she wondered if he did. Because she certainly didn't want to explain that, too.

But of course Remus knew, and his look suddenly turned wary. "I do," he said, "What about it?"

"What about it?" Lily repeated, her voice cracking. "The pompous idiot got himself _shot_ in that form, then had the nerve to show up, bleeding to death, on my doorstep. Or close enough," she amended. "So I sort of bound the wound, not having any idea who he was, until he turns back into his idiotic, selfish self again. Then, ten minutes, ago, he was stupid enough to try to get down the stairs without any help, which resulted in opening the wound again. Right now he's lying unconscious on my couch, and looks like he's going to die from blood loss. And," she finished, her voice going higher then usual, "I -want - him - out - of - my - house!"

Remus blinked.

"Well?" Lily demanded impatiently. She felt her rather dramatic angst deserved more response then a blink.

"Why was he shot?"

"Deer range?" Lily guessed wildly. "I don't know. Or care. But then he was crossing the street and almost got hit - he ought to be dead twice over!"

"Luckily, he's not," Remus said, still seeming amused. "A moment." He left through a side door.

"Can't have a moment," Lily muttered in protest. "My _head _is sitting in your fire. I am slightly uncomfortable with this. You can come back now. Anytime. Or," she continued darkly, "I can just leave my head here. Ow. My nose itches." A pause. "So does my ear. And my hands are back home and I _can't itch."_

"Sorry?" Remus asked, reentering.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "What's in that?"

Remus hoisted a big black bag. "Things to make James better?"

"Oh, you don't need things," Lily said hurriedly. "Just come over ad you can drag him through the fire and treat him over here."

Remus glared.

"Fine," Lily said. "See what I care," she muttered to herself, and pulled her head back out of the fire.

Remus appeared a second later, looking around with some curiosity. "Do you have a guest room or something you can put these in for a while?" he asked, not unkindly as he stepped out of her fireplace, handing Lily the bag. "We might be here a while."

Lily blinked. Hard. Thinks were moving a little too fast to follow. "Stay?" she forced out. "But you were just going to patch him up and go. You can't _stay_. . ."

Remus through a glance over his shoulder as he knelt to look at Potter. "Why not?" he asked. "We certainly can't move James by Floo powder until he's conscious - _healthy."_

"Why not? Unconscious people have traveled by Floo before."

Remus shook his head. "True, but James is too sensitive. He's never been good at traveling by fire."

"Isn't that convenient," Lily muttered under her breath.

"Actually, yes, it is," Remus agreed.

"He'll just have to deal. My parents would never let you stay." At Remus's confused look, she rolled her eyes. "You're guys," she said dryly. "They're not going to be happy if I have two guys stay over for several nights, especially if one of them looks like _he _does. Wounded," she added hurriedly. "Because he's all bloody and broken."

"Then your parents don't need to know," Remus said practically. He opened a bottle from his bag and poured some cream into his hand before spreading it onto James's leg. "Self-binding lotion," he explained at her quizzical look. "It will help heal the skin."

For the next several minutes, Lily stood there feeling useless as Remus wrapped and rewrapped his friend's wounds. Finished, Remus nodded to Lily. "You're best at charms. Would you mind floating him to the guestroom? It's best if we don't jostle him too much."

Lily looked at him in a mixture of surprise and alarm. "I've already done magic," she told him. "If I do any more, I might get kicked out!"

Remus stared at her blankly, before laughing. "That's right," he said, as if recalling something. "You're not yet seventeen?" He shook his head. "Don't worry - I can cover you. The authorities will never be able to tell."

"Remus," Lily whispered, as if someone was listening, "we're prefects. We're probably going to be head girl and boy! Don't you think breaking the M.O.M.'s rules is . . . wrong?"

Remus, who could be an entirely too irritating, considering he hung out with Potter and Black, was actually much more sensitive then the other two. For a moment he gave his complete attention to Lily.

"Lily," he said softly, ignoring her last words. "It's going to be all right. He's injured, but it won't kill him - there's no chance of that. It's just a bullet in the leg and some infections, and we cam fix those. There's a spell - I'm sure you know it - that will turn people away if they start to go into the room James is in - they'll lose interest, or remember something else they have to do. He'll be fine."

Lily swallowed hard. Remus had, as he usually did, seen straight to the heart of the matter. Lily was afraid James would be wounded, permanently so, and it would be because she wasn't fast enough, or smart enough, to save him.

"Thanks," she said quietly, and floated him up to the guestroom.

It was surprisingly easy to take care of Potter, Lily thought two days later as she slipped into the guestroom for lunch. The go-away-spell worked perfectly, though Lily still tensed and held her breath when anyone went upstairs. Petunia had, thank God, been silent, on account of Lily threatening her with her own blackmail. It Petunia told their parents about the half-dead guy she'd seen, Lily would tell them about the time Petunia had come home after partying with a guy six years older then her, completely drunk and smelling like cigarettes.

Petunia stayed silent.

Remus stayed with Potter for most of the day, and Lily was just down the hall if he needed help in the night. Not that he actually knew that - the fall down the stairs and loss of so much blood, plus the infections in the scratches all over his body had resulted in a high fever that had only just broken. Before that, he'd been mostly delusional when awake.

Lily shut the door behind her, initiating the spell she'd had to break for a moment to enter. "He'll be awake soon?" she asked Remus, who she had rarely seen despite the amount of time he'd been there.

Remus nodded seriously. "In an hour or so." They both turned to look at Potter, who was sleeping deeply. Lily was relieved to see that his sleep no longer looked as pained and uncomfortable as it used to.

"I'll see you soon," Remus said, picking up a bag Lily had failed to notice was packed. She gaped at him, her surprise clear. "You can take care of him perfectly," he assured her. "And I'll see you in just a few days."

"You are not going to leave me alone with a conscious, unfevored James Potter, are you?" Lily half-demanded, half-pleaded. "You can't. One of us will kill the other!"

"After all you've went through to keep him safe?" Remus said with a smile. "Think of it as practice for dealing with unruly kids at school."

"I can send him back through the fire as soon as he can walk!"

"Lily," Remus said seriously, 'He really doesn't like traveling by the Floo network. He's had a couple bad experiences. Of course, if you make him irritated enough, he might just give it another try." He grinned at her. "Good bye, Head Girl." He moved towards the door.

"Goodbye, Head Boy," she told him back, and they exchanged smiles only people with long-time confidence of achieving their goal had. He nodded, and while Lily was still trying to take in this turn of events, he had disappeared downstairs and hopped through her firecase, barely pausing to holler back, "King's Cross! I'll have Sirius bring his stuff!"

And he was gone.

"Doomed," Lily whispered to herself. "Doomed, doomed, doomed." She hadn't gotten around to asking Remus half the things she'd wanted to - about being an animagus, about avoiding detection when he used magic, about a hundred different things.

And now she had Potter. Unconscious Potter. Hated, despised Potter who was going to wake up in an hour and make her absolutely miserable until they reached school. She groaned. How was she supposed to explain to her parents that she had someone else to take to King's Cross?

For the next hour she wandered about her house, periodically checking on Potter and her trunk, which she unpacked and repacked at least three times to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Just a few more days until Hogwarts. At two fifteen she went upstairs again, armed with a sandwich and bag of potato chips, ready to wait for Potter to wake.

He wasn't there. She stared in astonishment, almost dropping her plate as she observed the neat guestroom. The bed was made, the bandage filled trash gone; it looked like she had imagined Potter being in her house.

She knew she hadn't; setting her food sharply down on the bedside table, she dashed into to her room, to find Potter - yet again - lounging on her bed like he belonged there.

Evans was almost cute when she was angry, James thought in a bemused sort of way, if she didn't look as if she was about to burst into flames. "Hello, Carrots," he said, smiling, feeling good will towards the world at large. His leg was healed, he would be back at Hogwarts in a few days, and Lily Evens was so angry her face was as red as her hair. All was right in James' world. "Finally decided to come see if I was still alive?"

"Finally?" she hissed. "Do you have any idea what I've done for you the past three nights? I probably saved your life! You were delusional, Potter. _Delusional._ Oh, and you know why? Because you were idiot enough to fall down the stairs and lose even _more _blood. You practically went into shock!" She sucked in a breath of air. "You're lucky you have such a good friend in Remus. _I _would have let you die," she said haughtily.

"Of course," James said, amused. He vaguely remembered Moonie being there, promising to make sure Padfoot brought all his things to King's Cross. He spared a thought towards Sirius's well being, before Lily Evans, most non-violent girl in Hogwarts, grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the wall. "Have you done anything that violent since you punched me first year?" he asked, but she had managed to get his attention.

"Listen to me," she said, taking a step, then another, back from him. "My parents are not happy-go-lucky wizards. The whole boy-in-bedroom thing does not fly with them. So you are supposed to pretend you don't exist, understand? Don't ever come downstairs, or talk loudly, or walk loudly -"

"-or breathe loudly," James finished. He smiled at her. "What about love you loudly?" He fixed large, adoring eyes on her face, and glimpsed her hands clenching.

"I swear to God, Potter, if you try anything -"

"Oh give up, Carrots," James said. "I'm just riling you."

"And here I thought you were trying to charm."

"Of course not," he said blithely. "If I was being charming, you would be melting."

Evans made a sound surprisingly like a huff, and glared at him.

"Carrots, tell me the truth," he said in a patronizing, doctorly voice, then spoiled it by smiling widely, showing off his perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth. "Do I make you nervous, darling?"

"I am _not_ your darling," Evans said, taking several more steps away. "Don't leave this room," she ordered, then turned and dashed from it. James watched her go, smiling. He dropped onto her bed, then watched as an owl darted into the room, dropping an envelope on his lap and then flying away. Still feeling abnormally happy, he casually tore it open and skimmed the first of three sheets. First: General Hogwarts letter. Second: 7th year supplies. Third: -

Bloody _hell._

James would have sat down if he hadn't been already. As it was, he stared in absolute shock at the letter. "But this is Remus's," he murmured. "Everyone _knows _this is Remus's . . ." Head Boy? He, James Potter?

****

Responses

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lilsakura - look, a familiar face! If by face, I mean penname . . . I really do mean to update OHAF . . . one of these days.

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BRIdoubleP - Glad you like it. I'm going for the classic L/J thing, because it's just incredible fun.

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Hazelocean - Look! I did.

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Blvd - Happy you loved it! And I cried too, in HBP. For, um, fifty pages.

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check6 - Glad you liked it, and I hope you're satisfied now - Remus never was Head Boy, Lily and he just assumed it.

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PhoenixWings13 - Yay! Glad you like it.

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Maylin-**Chan** - Thanks.

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Irish Lady Knight - I love 'em too. And they're no fun if they aren't funny.

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Coco-**Pop** - Thanks for the eye tip. I didn't catch that. But yeah, the Remus/Head boy was just a set up. Because honestly, who would have expected James to be Head boy?

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the mouse that roared - Mouse, don't be non happy. Lily did NOT just fall for James because of his looks, or she would have fallen for him long ago, like when he liked her, as opposed to waiting for seventh year. Got you there! Oh, and Lily used magic the first time because she didn't think it through, and then the letter freaked her out. Therefore, no more magic for Lily.

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k - lol. Thanks. It was just a set up for further chapters; I know Remus wasn't head boy.

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J.E.A.R.K.Potter - You're right - Harry's mentors have to go away. And thank you for catching that Lily just _thought _Remus was head boy.

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ZestyCruton - No, her parents weren't home, but at work. I think. When she screamed. God, I don't know. Let's say they were at work and I'll check it later.

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Ashley - Doomed is a beautiful word. It should be used more often.

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3musketteers - Thanks! I like writing fanfics where I can play with the characters.

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Keliadry- You're sweet! (And I was always mad that Kel didn't get with anyone. Which is shallow of me. And I really hopes your name pertains to PotS, cause otherwise this is meaningless.)

I think JK Rowling has definitely stated this is her last HP book, though she might do an encyclopedia of the world for charity. But I agree that Harry and Ginny HAVE to get back together. And I think he should be an Auror. Well, considering it's what he wants. Or teach DATDAs, which would be funny.

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Frecklednproud - Ugh, work. Who needs to go to that? And the blackmail comes up in the next chapter (I think) Only it doesn't work to well. Poor Lily.

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Captain Oblivious - Oh, James. He makes me laugh. And I know what you mean about getting interest renewed - it's actually why I started posting this after the 6th book, instead of in limbo.

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The Devil's Maiden - Whee! Next chapter. Glad you liked it.

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The Brilliant Fool - Daniel Radcliff has long hair! Weird . . . but Krum. Oh - pretttttty. Makes me happpy. Yes, D is for D.A.S.H., silly. I still need to do that . . . I guess the secret's out, mine's for Amy, and I AM going to get it . . . honest . . . Blurb. I got a Princess Treasury which has tons of story ideas, or, um, stories, and the sequel to the Safe Keeper's Secret, and the last Girl Got Game! I'm so successful. But I missed Improv Boston to work. Sad. So, Ye Olde Country Store? Any news? God, I'm hungry. I had a cupcake and a yogurt for dinner. I think I'll go have more . . .

Preview: 

"I just got myself invited to your congratulatory dinner," he said with a faint smirk, though his face seemed a little paler then usual - _I hope he lost more blood,_ Lily thought vindictively. He leaned back against the wall, one hand in his pocket, the other holding an envelope she hadn't noticed before. "Incidentally, it's also _my _congratulatory dinner."

"What are you talking about?" Lily said scornfully, though a little less so then she normally would have been. She was still stunned at the speed in which Potter had charmed her mother and convinced her he and Lily were friends.

"Head Girl needs a Head Boy, doesn't she?"

"Yes - Remus."

"Actually - me."


	4. Charming

Lily was breathing slightly harder then usual, and was absolutely furious with herself. She was afraid to go into her room, for heaven's sake, her own room just because some idiot was there. What was wrong with her? She ought to go in there and throw him out . . . Her mouth twisted wryly. Little chance of that. She probably wouldn't be able to move him an inch.

Petunia's shriek interrupted her at the moment, and the younger girl came barreling down the hall, her arms over her head. "Get it away!" she screamed, diving behind Lily.

"Honestly, Tunia," Lily scoffed, raising her arm for Beauty to land on, "You're over five feet. She's less then one. You are the predator."

"It has _claws._"

"She," Lily corrected, but Petunia was disappearing around the corner already. "Ignore her," Lily said softly to her owl, stroking her head. "Did you bring me mail?" she said, taking the letter from Beauty, then walking with her into the living room where the owl was content to fly in circles, hooting occasionally.

She opened the letter carefully, savoring what she knew would be in it. First: General Hogwarts letter. Second: 7th year supplies. Third: -

Giving a soft squeal of happiness, she jumped up and danced around the room. Even Potter's unwanted presence upstairs couldn't mar her glory. "I'm Head Girl, Head girl," she chanted, dancing around the room. She's known she would be, of course, but seeing it written on the thick Hogwart's paper in beautiful calligraphy made her overwhelmingly happy. "Head Girl," she said again, collapsing on the couch. She smacked the letter loudly with her lips, then held it close to her, smiling broadly.

"Lily?" her mother said, entering from the kitchen with a cookbook in hand and flour on her nose. Mrs. Evans knowledge of the kitchen was unusually sparse, but she still attempted despite her husband and children's pleading not to. By the look of today's catastrophe, they would be ordering pizza.

"Mom!" Lily said, sitting up and grinning. "Look! I'm Head Girl!" Her mother sat down beside her, reading the letter and smiling.

"I'm so proud of you, Lils," she said, hugging her daughter, her own face glowing. "Do you want to go out to a celebratory dinner tonight?" she asked, a bit too eagerly, and Lily smothered a laugh. "You could invite Dave, too," her mother continued.

"Mom," Lily said, allowing herself a small laugh, "Dave doesn't know I'm a witch."

"But I do," an unexpected male voice said.

Lily jerked her head up, paling to see Potter standing in the doorway, smiling. You're asleep, she thought at him. Heed my pyshic mind rays. You are still upstairs, _sleeping._

If he was sleeping, he was a very good sleep walker and talker as well, as he moved toward the couch, and offered his hand when Mrs. Evans stood up, shaking it firmly. "I'm James Potter, one of Lily's classmates. I was passing through this area and thought I'd drop in on Lily for the day."

"Lily's mentioned you," Mrs. Evans said, giving both teens something of a confused look. All Lily had ever done was rant and rave about how abominable he was. A lot.

"Nothing too terrible, I hope?" Potter asked. "Admittedly Lily and I didn't get along that well in the past, but we've been writing back and forth all summer, and I like to think we're past that." He smiled winningly. Lily scowled at him from behind her mother, decided to make a monkey face, and decided that was too childish, even when Potter was involved.

"Ah," Mrs. Evans said, thoroughly charmed. "Will you be here for dinner? I'm sure Lily would be happy if you joined us."

No, Lily wouldn't, Lily thought sourly. She wouldn't mind if he _was _dinner, as in, dead and with his head on a platter, but she would die if she had to sit next to him all night.

Or stab him with her dinner fork. Repeatedly.

"I'd love to, if it's all right with my parents," Potter said straight-faced, as Lily stared at him in disbelief. Potter? Ask his _parents _for permission? Like that would ever happen. "I'm sure it will be."

"Perfect," Lily's mother said in delight. "Lily, why don't you show him where the phone is? Oh, I forgot," she laughed. "You're a wizard. I'm sure you have a more convenient way to contact them. Lily, how does Under Sail sound? I know you love their chocolate cake."

"Fine, Mom," Lily said faintly as her mother left the room, leaving her to stare at Potter in utter dismay. "What did you _do?_" she asked, getting up and marching across the room to him

"I just got myself invited to your congratulatory dinner," he said with a faint smirk, though his face seemed a little paler then usual - _I hope he lost more blood,_ Lily thought vindictively. He leaned back against the wall, one hand in his pocket, the other holding an envelope she hadn't noticed before. "Incidentally, it's also _my _congratulatory dinner."

"What are you talking about?" Lily said scornfully, though a little less so then she normally would have been. She was still stunned at the speed in which Potter had charmed her mother and convinced her he and Lily were friends.

"Head Girl needs a Head Boy, doesn't she?"

"Yes - Remus."

"Actually - me."

Lily stared at the still rather pale face of her arch nemesis and felt like she was about to pass out. "You're lying, of course," she said at last. She forced a very strained laugh. "This is another prank."

He tossed the letter at her. "Sorry to burst your bubble," he said, and as though she spared enough time to give him a scornful glance, her attention was quickly focused on the letter.

All she was able to see were the words _Head Boy _and _James Potter._

"No," she said, shaking her head as she dropped back down on the couch. "You can't be."

He sat down on the couch next to her, seeming, now, as stunned as she was. "Actually, I am."

Simultaneously, their heads fell backwards on the top of the couch, and they stared at the ceiling in relative peace.

"What happened to Remus?" Lily said finally.

Potter sighed. "I don't know. How am I supposed to tell him? He's been expecting this since third year."

"That sucks."

"Yeah."

They fell into silence. Lily was feeling oddly generous towards Potter, using a rather twisted logic. She _should _be furious that she had to share her glory with him, but instead she felt sorry that he had to tell one of his best friends that he had the spot Remus had wanted.

The jangling of the telephone ruined their semi-peace. Feeling oddly self-conscious, Lily hopped up and headed for the phone, grabbing the living room extension.

"Hello?"

"Lily my girl!"

Lily smiled involuntarily. "Hey Cori."

"So you're Head Girl?"

"How could you doubt it?"

"Perfect. So, what's new since we talked -um - all of four days ago?"

"Actually -" Lily made shoeing motions at Potter, not wanting him to hear as she described the last few days. Raising his hands innocently, he walked from the room. "You will not _believe_ what's been happening," Lily said, switching into gossip mode with ease. "Prepare to be freaked out beyond belief."

"Wait, wait, I know - Dave actually _is _working for You-Know-Who."

"Oh, shut up. Dave is just an ordinary Muggle. But, -" Lily paused dramatically, "- we broke up."

"No!" Cori said in shock. "Why?"

At that inopportune moment, Potter walked into the living room with another of the cordless extensions that seemed to float about the house. As Lily felt her eyes widen with horror, he grinned and clicked the phone on. "Hello Cori," he said, still grinning across the room at Lily.

For a moment, no one said anything. Then - "Is that _Potter?_" Cori said in disbelief.

"The one and only," said annoyance responded. Lily wanted to sock him.

"What - are you at Lily's?"

"Sadly," she said. "He's an an-," she started, glaring at Potter.

As he realized what she was about to say, he leaped over and covered her mouth with his hand. "Sorry Cori, we've got to go. You sort of called while we were -" he paused, then finished rather suggestively, "In the middle of something." He hung up on his phone, then snatched her's and clicked it off as well.

Lily's face was burning - not something she could easily hide with Potters hand clamped over her mouth. Shoving at him with her free hand, she pulled back. "What are you trying to do, crush my jaw?" she demanded, rubbing her cheeks. She glared at him, but before she could start in about how he'd interrupted the call and hung up on Cori, he spoke.

"Are you insane?" he slot in, chucking the phone onto the sofa. "You were about to tell her. About me."

She looked at him as though he was deranged. "Brilliant deduction, Watson. She's one of my best friends. Did you really think I won't tell them?"

A muscle leaped in his jaw. "You can't tell anyone."

Can't I? Lilly thought, smiling smuggling. She raised her head challengingly. "Watch me," she breathed.

His hands closed around her forearms, making her wince. "You will not tell anyone," he ground out."

"Did the air in your summer retreat make you even more arrogant and chauvinistic than usual, or do you get some sadistic pleasure out of manhandling me and causing physical pain?" She scowled. "Honestly, you should have gone to Durmstrang."

He ignored her, which only incited her fury. Where did he get off, overriding everything she said? "I'm not letting you go until you promise not to tell anyone."

"Why might that be?" she asked innocently. "Oh, that's right - it's illegal and you might get expelled."

The anger radiating off him matched her's. "This is more important then you or me, Evans."

"Cry me a river," she shot back, trying to pull back, then stumbling as he yanked her closer. Her face turned red. "Let. Me. Go," she ordered, her face red. He'd overstepped boundaries this time. She didn't let _anyone_ act as if she was just a doll to be fiddled with.

"Promise."

Her eyes blazed with rage, but she didn't give in. "Why should I? This is perfect. I have a hold over you. How's it feel?"

The phone rang.

They ignored it.

"It isn't just a hold over _me, _Evans. This is something that threatens other people as well. Have you stopped and considered that there might be a _reason_ I can shift?"

Lily snorted. "Even if it's a wonderful one, what you're doing is still illegal. And I'm going to use that. And gloat." She smiled. "You can't change my mind, Potter, no matter how hard you bruise my arms. Now will you let me get the phone? Cori's probably wondering what happened."

"Dammit, Evans," he managed, his face contorted with anger. "You have to promise."

She saw a golden moment, reached out and grabbed it. "Fine. Easy," she said smugly. "One condition."

His face smoothed from an expression of anger to exasperation. He rolled his eyes. "You are so immature. What's it to be - I run around the common room stark naked? I ask Steffi Burling to the Yuletide Ball?"

Lily laughed, pleased with herself. "You turn over Head boy status to Remus."

Potter's eyes widened involuntarily, and his grip squeezed tight enough to make Lily wince. "Are you joking?"

"Um - let me think - no."

"You can't just hand over the position of Head Boy!"

Lily smiled. "Oh, a normal person couldn't. But the wonderful James Potter? He can do anything. Can't he?"

Potter's eyes narrowed, his lips pursed, and a strangled sort of laugh came out. "So to keep this secret of mine - I have to let Remus be Head Boy. You have no idea how twisted that is."

"No, I don't," Lily said, doing the best to make her voice sound bored. "And though I'm sure you're dying to tell me, I honestly don't care. So, do you agree?"

"No."

"Oh, so do you think Dumbledore will be pleased when I tell him you're an animagnus?"

"Evans," he said, gritting his teeth, "You don't understand. This. Is. Important."

"Yeah - and illegal," Lilly said said, actually grinning. "So if you want to keep this secret - hand over that shiny badge to Remus."

"It's _because _of Remus!" Potter exploded.

"Uh, sorry?" Lilly said, taken aback. "And let go of me," she added. "That hurts, remember?"

"Are you even listening to me!" Potter shouted, shaking her.

"Yes, and I'm blackmailing, remember? That's the point!"

"Fine. Fine." He shook his head, then threw it back. "Ok," he said, lowering his head and meeting Lily's eyes, which slightly unnerved her. He gave her an arrogant grin, as though he hadn't been off on an angry rant a second ago. "If I give Remus the Head Boy badge - "

"And position. Because just the badge would be worthless."

He shot her a dirty look, like he would never think of thinking so low. "Right. Then you'll shut up about the Animagnus? And this isn't a deal about technical wordings, this is the whole meaning."

Lily shrugged and agreed.

"What if Remus turns it down?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Lily scoffed. "Like he would."

"Deal?"

She would have agreed, but then pictured one of her best friends trying to offer her Head Girl status. She wouldn't touch it with the proverbial ten foot pole, not if she hadn't earned it, not if Dumbledore didn't think her worthy of it. Remus wouldn't take it either, not from a friend, not with his pride.

Damn.

"No deal," she said, staring at him, slightly shell shocked. She had been stupid. Of course Remus wouldn't take it. Silly of her even to think it - she had just been so caught up in blackmailing Potter into giving something up that it would pain him to give up that she didn't think it through thoroughly. "What if you begged him to take it back?" she asked hopefully, even a bit wistfully. "Do you think he'd take it?"

Potter smiled at her, hearing her weaken. "Think about it, Carrots," he soothed, "Dumbledore isn't just going to let Head Boy change. What do you think the professors do all summer? I bet they sit around and work out a schedule on prefects. Probably have weeklong debates on who will be Heads. Bet they thought, "That Potter, that Evans - wouldn't that be an interesting dynamic? It'd spoil their fun to not have us snapping at each other all year. And we wouldn't want to make the teachers upset, right Head Girl?"

Lily glared at him, it finally sinking in that she was going to have to sit through weekly meetings with him all year. "Oh, shut up," she conceded grudgingly.

"Shut up, _Head Boy," _he corrected with a grin, and Lily really did want to punch him.

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Response

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mj.shoppie - When did you have lunch with Tamora Pierce? Was it at the Boston WorldCon? Cause my friend did that. Wouldn't that be funny?

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Hershey.xoxo.Kisses - Yay for liking it - sadly I don't have the preview this time, cause I didn't write the next chapter . . . wah . . .

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PhoenixWings13 - I love writing funny stories. If they weren't I would cry.

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OKateMateo - Hope you got the chance to read the last chapter (and, of course this one) and I'm really glad you like the stag thing, since that's my favorite. And I really do plan on finishing OHAF, sometime. While you're waiting you could read my fp stories . . . lol, little self-plug there.

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Agnes Green - Hopefully it's not too suspenseful . . . Because, you know, death is bad for you.

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kirstie - See, I've written half of the next chapter, but I always get stuck . . . Oh well. I guess I'll post what I have.

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lizthelaugh - Thanks! Different's always fun.

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lilsakura - I know, poor Remus, right? Because he MUST have been expecting to be Head Boy, and I always wondered how he dealt with it. Oh, and Hermione's not going to be head girl if they don't go back to school! AHH!

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The Brilliant Fool - Yay! Money! Ugh, the only reason I'm going into work today is that it's time and a half, because I'm completely sick and on much medicine. Murk. Oh! Will you give/email be the website where it says "James's parents are supposed to be older parents whose only child, James, was a gift at their age," because I don't remember reading that in the books. Unless it's Rowling's website, which makes sense.

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J.E.A.R.K.Potter - Poor Lily. Poor Remus. Poor Harry. Hmm. James always seems happy, though. Well, except for the part where he dies . .

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Princess Persephone - I like putting Petunia in there, since I can make her such a brat. Fun with that. And I'm glad you like Remus . . . I'm still wavering with how I'm making his character.

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dee023 - Thanks!

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ZestyCruton - Sadly, the charming is not that difficult. Though I did like where he said he had to ask his parents, because that's so none James. Hmm. Is it bad that I make myself laugh?

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Chikichiki - Lol, I like being brilliantly creative. Thanks!

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Cylobaby - Poor Remus. It always makes me sad, right? Because he HAD to be expecting it.

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Blvd - Yeah, Lily does go a bit insane. REALLY doesn't like the idea of James as Head boy.

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Frecklednproud - I'm really glad you like it that much! That makes me tres happy. Sadly, I have never seen any of the Austin Power movies, but I really liked the line anyway. I sorta picture James saying it in a really smug, infuriating way, though, not the way I would picture Austin Powers, but who knows?

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sw67 - Thanks for the compliment!

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Lady-Slytherin-Warrior - Glad you liked it!

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Coco-Pop - I HAD to throw the carrots thing in there, since it fits them so perfectly. And I, personally, would freak out if any classmate was going to die, even if I hated him . . . or thought so heehee

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Random - oh - OH - You know, I had to read your review 3 times before I got that. Wow, I'm slow. Wow. Oops. So unintentional. But now I'm slightly amused . . .

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Aeneid - Well, yay! And I'm glad you broke through and reviewed. Always a good thing to do. And I'm glad you like the stag theme. And that you think I'm original. I feel loved.

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Captain Oblivious - And Sirius will be there as well. James has always been my favorite, though there is the lingering HE DIED thing hanging out there. With Sirius, as well, I guess. And Lupin's just wonderful. Lol, wonder if I could introduce a first year Tonks . . .

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check6 - Glad you liked it, and that I'm not being too extreme - I'm sorta worried with James at the moment, and not making him too much of an idiot. But oh well.

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Jadeyuy - I know, it's just so much fun to see the bickering. And meanness, though that (hopefully) won't last forever. Just long enough to amuse me . . . ahem, the readers. . .

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Preview:

There's no preview. I have nothing more written. Um . . .

"Ah!" James cried. "The giant flying bear-monkey is trying to kill me!"

"Don't worry!" Lily cried heroically. "I am an expert at squishing giant flying bear-monkeys!" She pulled out a great fly swatter, and swatter the giant flying bear-monkey to death.

"Lily, you are my hero. Marry me." James proposed.

"I could never," Lily said, looking away dramatically. "I have morals. Besides," she finished directly, "I am a vegetarian."

Um, I'm sorry. It's the bold. It makes me write wacky things like that.

. . . I really am sorry . . .


	5. Dinner

"Would you switch being Head Boy if I pouted?" Lilly asked hopefully, though without much belief.

"No," he said, still smiling. "Pouting would have other consequences."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily said, instantly suspicious, too familiar with Potter's softly worded insults to let it go as innocent.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"No," Lily snapped sarcastically, "My mouth just happened to formed those words. I actually didn't want to know."

He gave her a disgusted look. "You think you're just so witty, don't you, Evans?"

First off, she did thing she was witty, in general, if not in this circumstance. She drew a deep breath, rolled her neck, then let the air out as she counted to ten. Finally she looked back at Potter, who was watching with a quirked eyebrow. "Potter," she said slowly, "I don't like you. I'm quite aware that you don't like me. And even though I have _no _idea how _you _wrangled your spot, I've been working for this my whole life -"

"That's sad, Evans."

"- and I really want it to go well. So please don't treat this like a joke."

Potter's eyes narrowed at Lily's beseeching look. "You really have a low opinion of me, don't you?"

"Low doesn't even begin to cover it," Lily responded automatically, then winced, as that sounded exceptionally cruel. "I'm sorry."

He looked surprised. "No, you're not."

"Well, obviously I'm not!" Lily exploded, "But I am _trying _to be mature if we're going to have to work together!"

He rolled his eyes. "It's only Head Prefect, not opening a bank."

"No, it's Head Prefect in one of the most dangerous years Hogwarts has ever had. Or were you too busy fixing your hair to notice the whole You-Know-Who thing?"

Potter had the grace to momentarily look ashamed, before snapping back to his regular personality. "It's not as though he's about to crash school and hold us accountable for saving it."

Lily shook her head, unable to bear spending another minute with him. "Why don't you just hole up in the guest room until dinnertime, Potter? Because I really don't feel like wasting any more of my time with you."

He looked surprised. "But -"

"See you in a few hours," she snapped with finality.

He called out as she was in the doorway. "Why don't you like me, Lily?"

She winced to hear her name on his tongue, as if he polluted it. "I just - don't." She turned around and glared at him, daring him to make fun of her weak excuse. "You don't like me either, remember?"

"Um, no, actually, I did. I madly wanted you for a year and was continuously rejected."

"Yeah, some fluke. You didn't like me before then or after." She scowled at him. "That's just the way it is. What," she continued, dripping sarcasm, "Would you like to be friends?"

He rolled his eyes and turned away. "I'll see you at dinner," he said in a clear dismissal - never mind that it was _her _house.

It was a simple matter of dislike, Lily mused as she headed outside, following the comfortable run though the neighborhood. They rubbed the other the wrong way. Fine, she acknowledged she thought he was cute, in a rather self-absorbed way, and sometimes she even enjoyed their bickering as one of the foundations of her school life, but most of the time he just put her on edge through a combination of arrogance and irritation. Maybe if he was just a bit - ok, ninety percent - less self-involved, but as it was . . . And he wasn't particularly likable, she added angrily. He wasn't like Black, who everyone gravitated towards because of looks and charm, he was adored because - well, she didn't know why, _she _wasn't part of the group of yapping lap dogs.

Though, to be fair, she realized she wasn't exactly likable either, not to Potter, though she got along with everyone else. A bit too prickly towards him, _because _of that edge he had her balancing on . . . It was because he expected everyone to treat him like he was a god, just because of stupid Quidditch and since he wasn't afraid to play tricks on others, hang them in the air without a thought.

She hadn't a clue how he'd been picked to be Head Boy. He was smart enough, she admitted. He breezed through classes with the inborn talent of someone truly _genius, _even if he didn't appreciate it. It drove Lily crazy, how she would studiously take notes all class while Potter would laugh and joke with his friends or doodle on his papers or _sleep, _and they still ended up with the same grade. But just having the brains for Head Boy didn't mean he deserved it. He wouldn't care about the students like she did, wouldn't have compassion, too caught up as he was in his own importance. Better someone less smart, but more caring . . . Better to have Remus, like they'd all expected.

Eventually the repetitive pounding of her feet on the sidewalk soothed away her thoughts, until she was only concentrating on the smacking beat and James Potter was, thankfully, put aside.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

James was having a harder time putting Evans aside, partly because he was sitting on his bed, sulking.

Everyone he knew always asked him, "Why can't you and Lily Evans just get along? She's such a _nice _girl."

They always said "nice" like that, too, like it covered all the desirable qualities existent. As though there was something wrong with him for not getting along with her. _Everyone _got along with Lily.

For God's sake, _Slytherins _got along with Lily Evans.

But James? No, not him. He always got the Evans that no one else knew existed, the irritated, angry part, that bickered and argued and apparently blackmailed.

And wasn't that a laugh? he thought sarcastically. It was because of Moony he was an animagus, and because he was an animagus that Evans had blackmail which she wanted to use to make Moony Head Boy.

Not likely.

All right, so maybe James had been stunned when he first got the letter, but now he was rather looking forward to it. His own bathroom, extra privileges - why, he could wander the halls at all hours and say it was his duty!

Then there would be Evans.

He'd always thought that she's enjoyed their arguments, at least a little. He'd certainly liked one-upping her, the continuation of the private competition that had started their first year, half an ongoing argument, half a flirtation.

That's how he had thought of it.

So maybe it had been the smallest bit - meaner - last year, since he had spent all of the previously year hearing how she'd rather date a troll then him. And she had meant that literally.

And perhaps his stint with serial dating hadn't been the best thing to do that year, since it had just intensified the opinion that he was an arrogant idiot.

Still, he hadn't thought she _really _disliked him. Like, if he snogged her he would expect a punch, but more on principle then because she thought he was disgusting.

But she'd sent him up here like he was a pesky fly she didn't have time to deal with. _That_ was her problem, he decided. She was patronizing, and he, unlike mostly people she dealt with, had no intention of being treated like a child.

Or treated like anything, come to think of it. He didn't have to put up with Evans. He could drop her in a moment, just ignore her the rest of the year, see how _she _liked being treated like she was beneath him.

Oh, wait. He'd forgotten about the Head Boy/Girl thing.

Damn.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Under Sail was an understated, tasteful restaurant, which seated the four Evans and James in a corner booth. Mr. and Mrs. Evans mood was proud, the little sister with that ridiculous name seemed bored, and Evans, who was sitting next to James, had a front of happiness though she had made a point of trodding on James' foot every chance she got. He, being a gentleman, had not cried in pain like a little girl or hit her back or make snarky comments about her ensemble so that she was as discomforted as his poor foot was.

He just thought about it.

"So, James," Mr. Evans said, "Lily tells us you come from an all wizard family."

"Pureblood, Dad," Evans said, looking pained. James was sure she was annoyed at the fact rather than that her father couldn't remember what to call them.

"I do," James said, munching on his bread roll. Swallowing quickly, he continued. "Though, of course, I don't share the prejudices many pureblood families do."

"Like the Blacks," Mrs. Evans said, and James couldn't contain a flare of surprise. He wondered how much Evans talked about her classmates, that her mother could remember their political positions.

"Yes, exactly," he said. "Though my friend Sirius Black disagreed with his family so much he left them to come live with me."

It was Evans' turn to straighten in surprise, glancing sidelong at him.

"That was brave," she said quietly.

James shrugged, irrationally annoyed. She hadn't ever called _him _brave, or anything of the kind. And by all rights she ought to dislike Padfoot just as much as she disliked James; more so, as Padfoot was more charming and arrogant then he was, and ran through girls like candy. And yet _Padfoot _was getting praised?

"Can we order yet?" the sister whined, the first thing she'd said since they'd left the house.

Mrs. Evans nodded, then raised her voice to attract their waiter's attention. "Excuse me?"

The waiter didn't turn.

"Excuse me," Mrs. Evans said, louder, but that wasn't heard either. It was drowned out by the sound of sirens that cut to an abrupt stop as the engine turned off, and ugly, harsh screams.

"What's that?" the sister said, instantly interested.

"Nothing, I'm sure," her mother told her. James turned to Evans to find her already looking at him with a worried expression. They were used to explosions and screams on occasion, but mostly in the newspaper, not real life.

"I want to see," the sister said, craning her neck towards the window, squinting so as to better see the action.

"Petunia, sit straight," her father said crossly. "It's rude to stare."

"Dad, if I don't stare I won't know what's going on," she said sharply.

"I wish they'd stop that screaming," Mrs. Evans commented. "So loud, and right near the restaurant.

"Yeah," Evans muttered, so low only James could hear, "How dare they have the nerve to scream and disrupt our dinner." A sudden move of her elbow caused her water to knock all over it, and she tried to avoid it, exclaiming softly.

"Lily, you all right?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"Yeah," Evans said, mopping at her lap with a quickly drenched napkin. "Great," she added sarcastically. "I'm soaked. I'll be back in a sec," she said, nudging James to get out of the booth. "I just need to dry off."

"I'll go with you," James said quickly, glancing out the window again.

She glared at him from nearly closed eyes as she squeezed water out of her shorts. "No thanks."

"You got me, too, with your water," he pointed out, and trailed her to the restrooms.

"This way," Evans said as they reached them, leading to a back door he hadn't noticed. They ducked out. James looked around briefly, seeing only an overflowing dumpster; the night covered everything else. It was colder then it had been when they first entered Under Sail, and he watched Lily break out in goosebumps. "Come on," he was hissed at, and followed her up the hill at the back of the restaurant.

They didn't need to cross the street into the residential area to see what had happened. James froze, disbelief running through him and settling heavily in his stomach. His face, usually the most mobile of his body as he shifted expression, was focused straight ahead. The green, smoky mark was clear from where they stood - too clear, as though it was leering down at them.

"Not here," Evans whispered, as James turned to see her. Her face was white, almost transparent, as it only ever was when she was outrage at him. He had never seen her pale in fear.

"It's all right," he lied, his false words aimed to comfort, something he was woefully unaware of how to go about. Instead of trying again, he turned back to the ghastly grin. "I wonder who it was?"

"I don't know," Evans said. "I didn't - I didn't -" James looked back at her, surprised, for it was a rarity to have Evans fumbling for words. "I didn't even know another wizard lived around here," she finished, despair in her voice.

"Let's go see," James said, determined to find out something that night, and not at all expecting Evans to grab his sleeve and shake her head wildly.

"Are you kidding? We have to go back in Under Sail and get my family out of here. Now. And get them to safety. You can - can Apparate for help - can't your parents do it with people? And they can take my family far, far, away -"

"Evans, you're shaking," he noted, trying to keep his voice from doing the same. He had never seen the Death Eater's Mark before, not outside of a drawing, and he had never imagined he could actually be _scared _at the sight of one. "Evans," he said again, sternly, and started to run his hands briskly over her arms. "You're ok. It's not you, or you're family, and you'll be safe in Hogwarts in a few days. Evans, look at me."

She was still trembling, head bowed, pale as death.

"Snap out of it. Don't make me hit you, because although I would normally love to, I'd rather you stopped being in shock on your own accord." He lifted her chin with one hand to see her eyes wide and panicked, nervously biting her lower lip. "Anyone would think you were the deer, not me," he scoffed. "Let's go. We're going back inside." Casting a glance back at the shining Mark, he steered her towards the restaurant's door, warmth and laughter and tempting smells drifting from it.

"Leggo of me," Evans finally murmured feebly. James smiled slightly and kept her moving.

When they slid back into their booth the little sister eyed Evans' shorts and snootily noted that they weren't much drier then they'd been before. The parents exchanged indulgent looks that would have made Evans' go bright red if she'd seen them. As for himself, James merely felt the normal smugness curl inside, but rather dampened by what they'd seen.

You-Know-Who's followers, striking in such a small, nondescript English town, was a cause for surprise. What were they doing here? He hardly knew what _he _was doing here, as his stag memories had blurred the last days and the Muggle's weapon had inflicted enough pain to knock out several hours worth of memories. It certainly wasn't somewhere he'd have ended up intentionally. Why would Death-Eaters have come? It itched at him, that he couldn't sneak by the house and find out what had happened, and to whom.

As they headed out the restaurant and approached the cramped Muggle vehicle, James abruptly made up his mind. "Thank you for dinner," he said with his best winning smile. "But I'd better be getting home now."

Evans - who had been quiet all through the meal, though she'd tried to conceal it - flew her eyes to his.

"Don't be silly," Mrs. Evans said. "What will you do? Walk?"

James patently charming laughed clogged his throat. "Oh, no. I'll Apparate. Just vanish - here one second, gone the next." If he had to be polite one more moment, he would explode. "I'll just duck around the restaurant where it's a bit less crowded."

"Oh," Mrs. Evans said, a little taken aback. Mr. Evans just unlocked the car and - oh, yes, her name was Petunia - climbed in, the petulant look still on her face. Evans' eyes narrowed just the slightest bit, and James threw her her own smile.

"Thank you for everything," he said as Mrs. Evans climbed in the car after the proper farewell, leaving her eldest to glare at him.

"You're going back there, aren't you?" she snapped.

He sighed. "Someone has to."

"Like, maybe an Auror? Or, I'm sorry, is a student equal to handling the Dark Arts?"

"Evans, just climb in your car and go."

"Don't be an idiot."

"She says to the Head Boy."

"Yeah, boy,' not undercover detective. Unless you've opened up a private eye practice on top of everything else?" she added icily.

"What?" James asked, completely bewildered.

She waved her hand. "Never mind. Just don't do it. Besides, if you can Apparate away, why didn't you do it ages ago?"

"You really want a pained, not fully concentrated person trying to Apparate? And how would you like to explain half my body stuck in your house? Today's the first day I've been rested enough to try."

"You should have done it this morning," she grouched.

"I think your dad wants you in the car," James said, pointing to her father knocking on the window.

She opened the door, still shooting him a dirty look. "Don't go there. You may be a pigheaded idiot, but I don't want you dead."

"Didn't know you cared," he said sweetly.

"Yes, you did," she said, climbing in the car. "Or did you already forget that I saved your life when you stumbled into my yard, all bloody?" With that, she slammed the door on him.

"Like I could," he said softly, scowling as the car drove away. "With you ready to lord it over my head the rest of the school year." With that, he headed back to the doomed house, green mark just about ready to fade away.

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A/N: Meh. That was . . . all right. James didn't come out exactly the way I wanted him to, but oh well. The chapter was rather a bridge. The next one is the classic train scene, so that should be fun. At least, I think it is. I haven't written it yet.

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Responses:

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TajM - lol. I'm a vegetarian too. Hence, the "vegetarians are wonderful" plug. Of course.

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alittlesomebody - I agree that him being nice is a bit weird, but I have so he sorta is nice, at least with everyone but Lily. They have their special thing all to themselves.

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Missrs - Tuna. Ha. Funny. No, it was just either that or "Pet" and first of all, _weird, _and second of all, Spike from Buffy says that. So that was out. . I'm glad you liked the preview. It was the spawn of my strange humor. I live to amuse myself.

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the mouse that roared - There were reviews, and there were long reviews, and then there was Mouse. I love you! (And Warren). Don't be feverish. Do be amused by preview. Apologies on the floppy lines - James' character is still being worked on. Hmm. So is Lily's. Well, you know me and my main characters. And if you make fun of them I'll cry. (Sobs through edit of ATSMtPS - which, by the way, now contains 5 - count 'em, only FIVE kisses.) And I made James smart. Or at least, they acknowledge that James was smart.

If you go to prep school, I want to wear the uniform when I visit. -. Ok, so we're probably not looking at that. Oh well. It would amuse me. Oh! A fic! You can narrator the murderer who kills off a student to get into their favorite school! I think Alan suggested that . . . he's in the paper again. Why aren't we ever in the paper? . . . You know, aside from the fact that we're healthy and boring.

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Agnes Green - I certainly hope I don't loose all meaning! I know what you mean. This chapter (hopefully) tucked in a bit of plot rather then aimless wandering.

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Duck-a-roo - I was awfully fond of the preview as well. Which is a good thing, because otherwise I'd be embarrassed.

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ZestyCruton - You would think I haven't seen anything . . . No Bruce Almighty for me. Though I did want to. Just never got around to it. I did just borrow the Kim Possible movie from someone at work. I was vastly entertained. Then decided half the movies in existence include a high school dance, even if they are cartoons.

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Kuddls - Nope, you only reviewed once. I hope that was a good thing about reviews praising. . . Couldn't tell. But I'm glad you like the story.

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lilsakura - So on the boldness note - I did. Or quite similar. Me and a friend had too much caffeine and wrote a dialogue where Jadrien spoke with her lead guy character. I looked back on it once. It's quite horrifying.

Nyeh, you're right with the, ("Shut up, Head Boy," he corrected with a grin, and Lily really did want to punch him.) Since I had already written this years ago, I had to go back and find places to make into chapter endings. Cue the chapter endings/beginnings being awkward. Hopefully that gets better now. This is the first chapter whose ending written to be a chapter ending.

Though, yeah, Lily does feel violent around James, though not the other way around, and not around anyone else. He just irritates her. A lot.

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czarina-kathryn - Yay! I love hearing what people's favorite parts are! Otherwise I just think I amuse myself. I was actually thinking of that cereal commercial, where the guys are chomping to loudly to hear when the other guy hears about the chomping guy's promotion and tries to send him death rays which are misunderstood as peace signs cause the chomping's too loud to hear . . . wow, commercials are hard to explain. I swear I'm not crazy.

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BabyRose129 -I feel special! No, I always like the hate that lasts for an abnormally long time. (Shameless self-promotional plug to go look at my fp. Profile). And I figure if they held off dating til seventh year _and _Lily spent fifth year turning him down there had to be strong dislike . . . or maybe I just like writing those stories.

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Princess Persephone - I'm glad you liked the charming, I was a little worried how that would go over. Lol, the list of questions sounds like it could be an amusing back cover. I actually haven't a clue how to handle the werewolf thing yet, but it's a set for more situations. . . Love Persephone, by the way. I always meant to write a retelling . . . someday . . .

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J.E.A.R.K.Potter - If I have to have a bored nothing-happens life, then my characters certainly have to suffer as well. A lot. And violence is just pure fun. Well, you know, unless it gets to actual violence.

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PhoenixWings13 - I'm not really much of an action person - most of my stories seem to be centered on emotions - but I hope it moved a little bit this chapter. And next chapter they're heading to school, so there's more people and room for entertainment.

Frecklednproud - Going on my movie list. And I think all bosses must be part devil, to survive to boss level. God knows mine are scary. And they ALWAYS pop up when you're chatting with friends rather then working. Gah. Wish they would vanish.

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Chikichiki - Lol, yes, the guilt will pour. Just imagine James' frustration. Isn't it fun?

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TheBrilliantFool - I know, right? I always feel extra special when I'm answered. Must find interview. . . murg, it's Thursday, I think I missed stopping by . . . though I did go for a walk yesterday and ended up at the library (it was a long walk) but I forgot the Country store. I thought about stopping by your house but was too disgusting to go anywhere other then air conditioning. I felt really good though. Exhausted. God, I'm so out of shape. I'm going to die in Dance next year.

DANCE! Why am I taking it? Last year was a strip tease . . . that was so embarrassing . . . my _dad _was there. Grr. Stupid dance.

**__**

Also thanks to:

Kathryn, -ShIvErInG sMiLe-, chunky-01, Randomisation, dee023 , Scarletteyes, Keliadry, Arista Ramabra, Coco-Pop, Amandinka, emily, Lady-Slytherin-Warrior, oKateMateo ,Devin Jamie Pickrell, jessicagreen, sugur-huny-bun, cylobaby, WhiteCamellia, ShiningWishingStar, blvd


	6. Dark Mark

A/N: So, this isn't actually the chapter I wanted to write . . . I WANTED to write the classic train scene, but this one sort of came out instead . . . Next chapter, Hogwarts Express. This is sort of a silly drabble in which I experiment with which way I want the story to go. Ha. Aren't I funny. As though it would ever be anything but a love/hate school story, even if it pretended to be something else. Which it won't, because I like being blatant.

Quite sorry I took so long to get it up. I just wanted to write the next chapter, not this one, so it was sort of slow. Oh well.

God. School starts Tuesday. The agony.

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Lily sat in the car, fuming. Potter was gong to go up to the house and do something idiotic, not Apparate home like he'd told her. Idiot. Blithering, driveling, moronic imbecile. He had no idea what was up there, and he was going to go in anyway. Fine. She didn't care. She glared out the window. He really did have worms for brains. It was a wonder he'd survived seventeen years.

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James would have had an easier time doing what Lily deemed 'idiotic' if there were less Muggles around and a bit more freedom and trust granted to him. No one would let him enter, or even answer any of his questions, instead frankly ignoring him. He kept trying, pestering one man until he swung around to face James.

"Do you have a media badge, son?" the law enforcer asked, directing a menacing stare at James.

"No, sir," he replied, rather taken aback.

"Then I suggest you haul yourself and your questions out of here before you get in any more trouble."

James ignored that, edging around to the other side of the house, hoping to avoid anymore policemen altogether.

That plan failed. He just ended up running into a different type.

"James Potter?" an incredulous voice sputtered as he left the thinning crowd reaching the back of the house, separated with a fence from the lawn of another house. In a small, decorative copse of trees was a collection of oddly dressed, familiar faces. The sputterer stepped forward, garbed in orange and green patterned swim trunks, and a dress coat. It was buttoned, but as far as James could see the wearer had no shirt, and held his arms stiffly away from himself as though he wasn't used to the tight sleeve confines.

"Mr. Herbertly," James said in recognition. "What are you doing here?"

Mr. Herbertly frowned. "I believe that question is coming from the wrong mouth, young man. Why are you here? Do you know anything about this?"

James blinked. "No, of course not. But I saw the Mark and came to investigate."

"Investigations should be left to those suited to them," the Head of the Muggle Department sniffed.

"But what's going on?" James pried.

"That's not information for young ears."

Meaning they didn't know, James thought wryly. "Whose house is it?"

"I'm going to summon someone to take you home straight away," Mr. Herbertly said, completely ignoring James' question. He frowned again - or maybe it was the same one as before, and he had never stopped. James wasn't sure. "Don't you live rather far away? Surely I would know if the Potters lived here."

"I was visiting Lily Evans," James said, his eyes sliding back to the house. The Muggle policemen weren't letting anyone in, and seemed to be dispersing the crowd. Maybe everyone had been told it was just a strange light show.

But with the Dark Mark there, didn't it mean someone was dead?

"Who is Lily Evans?" Mr. Herbertly said, and his impatient tone suggested he was repeating himself.

"What? Oh," James said, snapping back to the Ministry of Magic man. "A girl in my year. Muggle-born. Whose house was this?"

"Anderprout," Mr. Herbertly said, and James perked at the answer, then slouched as Mr. Herbertly beckoned the owner of the name. A short black man came up to them, his clothes mismatched as the other wizards, and eyed James. "Take young Potter home."

"I'm not going home yet," James said stubbornly. "Besides, I have to go back to Lily's."

"I suggest you contact your little friend later," Mr. Herbertly said with a huff. "Anderprout, see him home."

"Don't bother yourself," James said angrily as it became apparent that they weren't going to let him go. "I can Apparate myself."

"Out of sight," Mr. Herbertly said, his reminder more like an irritating prod.

"Obviously," James said, growing more and more angry at being treated like a child. "You should just tell me what happened," was his closing remark, lifting his head. "Because I'll find out, even without yourself."

Mr. Herbertly shook his head. "It's not fit for children's ears," he tsked.

"I will find out," James promised, and stalked off to Apparate away from Muggle eyes.

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Lily went home and called her best Muggle friend, Caro Dean, and asked, "So whose house had the weird light thing? What was up with that?"

"Mrs. Winterthrop," Caro, source of all knowledge, answered properly. "Found dead in the living room, would you believe it? Though don't tell anyone, because it's strictly confidential."

"Which is why you're telling me," Lily responded dryly.

She knew her friend well enough to hear the shrug. "You're different, Lils. We're more along the lines of the same person. What one knows, so does the other."

Lily smiled. Caro was sweet and good-hearted, but thankfully liked to share all the really good gossip - with Lily. "Then what happened?"

"We're still in the early stages of know. Mum's heard from her brother," Caro's uncle was part of the police department, "Cause, you know, he goes threw that whole anxiety thing and his shrink thinks he should talk. Anyway. The team went in there, right? Like, whatever, a light show, boo hoo. And they found old Mrs. Winterthrop dead, propped up on the sofa like she was napping, a cup of cold tea right next to her. Freaky, or what?"

"Freaky," Lily agreed faintly.

"So the coroner's looking over her, but from what Uncle Ted said, there weren't any gun wounds or anything. The method they're rooting for is poison. But I really want to know who did it. I mean, a little old lady. I'd only met her, what, twice? Three times? She's Andrew's grandma - oh, you don't know him, goes to my school - like you should, you psycho wizard goof - pretty sweet - wow, you don't think she's like you? The whole witch thing? Which explains the creepy sky-art! The skull. Freaky. Maybe it was those Death-Eaters! Wow. We're like, in the middle of a murder mystery."

"I think you've covered everything I thought of," Lily said faintly, her horror at the death tinged with bemusement at her friend's mind.

"Good, because I think so too. Want to go over this evening and do a little reconnaissance work?"

"Yeah," Lily said, looking out the window at the dreary, dripping rain. "Meet you in half an hour."

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"Mum, Dad, whose house had the Dark Mark cast over it?" James demanded the moment after he Apparated with a loud _clang _(he hadn't quite got the _clap_ down yet) in the dining room.

His father looked up from where he sat at the table, reading the _Daily Prophet _and eating a piece of toast. James' mother had a wealth of Muggle newspapers spread out before her, and was holding a pair of scissors poised above them.

"Hello, James darling," Mrs. Potter said. "Where have you been?"

"Mum," James groaned, "No where."

"Nonsense," his father responded, putting down the newspaper. "You and Sirius went off on your camping trip a week ago and then he returned without you. Then an hour later he said, Oh, never mind, Remus found him. He's at Evans' house.'"

"If you knew where I was, why did you ask?"

"Because," his mother said patiently, "We would like to hear it from your mouth. Care to explain what you were doing there, when you apparently hate the girl?"

"What's this?" Mr. Potter said, confused. "Who do you hate, James?"

His wife rolled her eyes. "Lily Evans. Honestly, Charles, you're so absent minded sometimes."

"I thought our James was in love with that Lily girl," Mr. Potter said with a frown. "Isn't she the one Sirius is always teasing you about?"

"_Dad,"_ James groaned.

"I can't imagine her parents just let you stay there for half a week." She tsked. "They've probably a terrible opinion of you, from their daughter."

"They were charmed," James said sulkily.

"Poor things," Mr. Potter laughed.

"My point was," James said, trying to steer the conversation as he wished it, "What was the Dark Mark over?"

"Why don't you go find Sirius? I'm sure he'd love to see you," Mrs. Potter said, beginning to stack her newspapers in one pile.

"Mum!"

"It's slightly private, darling."

"Mum, I was _there."_

His mother frowned. "That was very dangerous, James. I don't want to see you get hurt."

James scoffed.

"Go on then, get to bed."

"I'll just read the paper tomorrow and find out," James warned.

"Not sure the Ministry will let that in the paper," Mr. Potter mumbled, then covered his face with the _Daily Prophet _when James turned to him.

"I'll find out," James promised, and stalked off to find Sirius.

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"Ow!"

"Shush!" Lily hushed her friend.

"But I think I got a splinter."

"Then pull it out," Lily said uncompromisingly.

"This would be so much easier if we were invisible," Caro whispered, looking at her witch-friend hopefully.

Lily shook her head. "No such luck. Come on."

The basement entrance had been left open, and the girls were able to sneak in that way. The policemen had left after carting away the body and - well, after doing whatever it was policemen do in homes of the suspiciously dead. Lily and Caro were still intent on looking at everything, and they started with the living room, where a white outline was placed on the sofa.

"That is so unnerving," Caro said, her flashlight shaking.

"Yeah," Lily agreed, scanning the room. Nothing.

"So if we think it was Death-Eaters, what was their motive?"

Lily shrugged. "They didn't need a motive. They just wanted some fun. Here, let's go to her room."

"Why?" Caro asked, shivering.

"I want to find out if she was Muggle-born or just half. She certainly wasn't pure-blood."

Flicking through albums showed a collection of still and moving pictures, which Caro pored over with delight though she had seen similar in Lily's room. Lily concentrated on finding the wedding album of Mrs. Winterthrop's parents, which she found as carefully preserved black and white pictures

"Half and half," Lily decided, watching one picture where a timid looking bride had her hand pumped energetically by a caped man. She kept glancing over at her new husband, who grinned encouragingly.

"What's this?" Caro said, and Lily leaned over to see.

"That's . . . Hogwarts," Lily said slowly. A young girl - Mrs. Winterthrop? - was waving happily, her arm hooked through another girl's. They couldn't have been more then thirteen. Behind them was the Great Hall, splendid dishes laid out, kids joking and laughing in the background. On the left edge of the photo, the teacher's could be spotted. A younger Dumbledore stood up, gesturing grandly.

"Wow, that pie looks good," Caro said.

"Yeah. It does," Lily answered, leaning back. For the first time it hit her that Mrs. Winterthrop had been a person, with friends and family, and a life. That she had been a school girl, once, just like Lily, and that her life's thread had been unfairly cut. It made her uneasy, sitting in the dead women's room, combing through her things.

"We should go," she said abruptly, standing up.

"What?" Caro said, looking up from her examination of the wizard pictures. "Ya sure? We didn't really find anything."

"I'm sure the police all ready found everything of importance. Come on, Caro."

"'Kay," her friend said agreeably. "Oh, wow," she said as she stood. "That's one fancy frame."

Lily glanced at the frame in question, sitting on the bedside table, covered in silver carvings and green jewels. "They're probably fake," she said, absently picking it up to study. Her eyes drifted to the picture held. "That her husband?" she asked. They stood together, swaying back and force slowly, so that the movement could have been a trick of the eyes. Mrs. Winterthrop was smiling, her arms wrapped around the waste of a tall, gray-headed man.

"Couldn't be," Caro said. "Mr. Winterthrop died when she was, like, forty. This picture's way too recent. Brother, do you think?"

"I _hope _not," Lily said dryly, which sent Caro to giggles. Lily stayed silent, then snapped the picture out of the frame and grabbed another picture to tuck in it. "Think I'll take this," she muttered, though Caro was hardly paying attention. As she wedged the replacement in, a piece of paper fell out, a folded note that Lily frowned at, then pocketed.

"Oh, great, it's starting to rain," Caro said from the window. "Let's dash before it really picked up."

"Coming," Lily said, and followed her out.

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"This is ridiculous," James complained. "It's not in the papers, Mum and Dad aren't saying anything if they even know, and people aren't even talking about it in taverns."

"Maybe it's not that important," Sirius suggested to him.

"Or maybe it _is _and they're all hiding it," James suggested darkly.

Padfoot laughed. "Right," he drawled. "Now, on to more important things."

"Like what?"

Sirius raised both brows. "Like _Lily Evans, _mate. In detail."

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Lily sat in her room, the note open in front of her. It was a fragment of a poem, scrawled in pointy, long letters, as if the writer was in a rush. She frowned as she read it.

Till his best step approaching,

We journey to the day,

And tell each other how we sung

To keep the Dark away.

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Review Responses:

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Korean Pearl - Yay! I'm happy you liked it and generously left reviews. Previews are sort of on hold until I write up a big chunk of story and I'm not posting everything I have . . . Sad, but true. I'm glad you laughed, which is what you're supposed to do, though this chapter is mostly laugh-free. Tear.

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Sporkucpine - Glad you like it, though I'm probably not going to make them anymore resisting to each other - they're comfortable where they are, and if they hate each other too much I'll never be able to convince them to fall in love.

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Kiki - I honestly don't care if I mess up spelling or Moony's nick-name (though that's an important one.) Mostly this is just to have fun.

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-ShIvErInG sMiLe- Happy you like it. I agree: Voldemort's a meanie. I usually hate when stories include him, since I just like light-hearted stuff, but somehow he stuck in. It was kinda weird, actually . . .

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Pastel-Meringues - You're sweet! I love being called different. Well, I expect most people do. Props to you.

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Roni - You're funny! Glad I got a strong response; I love when stories make me excited, and am very happy my story does that for you.

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The Brilliant Fool - Silly. I hate Voldemort Panic. I hate that it's in my story. WHAT'S HE DOING HERE. Whee, fun with caps. Oh, Ben . . . I'm an only child! Very sad. Must go cry in a corner/um, not. So. School. Yup. School.

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TajM - thanks! Sadly, this is still a bridge. They're taking an aweful long time to get to Hogwarts. I do wish they'd hurry up.

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Blvd - Of course they're still at each other's throats! That'll last, oh, thirty more chapters. (Joking, joking.) Glad that you like it.

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Emeraldeyez1728 - I know what you mean. I go crazy when it's like Lily/Sirius. Ahh! Completely wrong. And painful. At least there isn't any other girl character to easily pair James up with. Lily/James, love/hate. It should be left at that.

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Duck-a-roo- Oh, my poor mentally deceased James . . . James' parents are only vaguely concerned. They give him a lot of freedom, and (as in chapter) were kept informed of where he was.

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Julia - OHAF is on the back burner, as I'm re-editing ATSMtPS to send out with my college apps, and I'm writing a historical novel for school. Everything else just gets worked on when I have time and inclination.

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Kuddls - Lol, I'm just paranoid. Sorta frowned at the message for a while and figured I'd ask. Sadly, no one we know died, which takes away drama - then again, wouldn't _really _want a favorite character to die, so no loss.

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Larissa Potter - Yay! Happy you liked it enough to review. It's my favorite pairing to write about.

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Mkiara - Yay! You made me feel special. Lily and James will keep sniping for a while, but of course, chaos is always around.

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lilsakura - ooh, but I liked it. (The blackmail knife thing.) I know, a fluff-like moment is sort of the bone to the dog, isn't it? Especially as we know they're going to keep fighting for ages. Lol, we need substance!

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J.E.A.R.K.Potter - Lol, I tune out violence in movies since I'm bored by it. Oh, god, I hope I can still respond. Where did you hear that? Must panic and now google to find out . . .SCARY.

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Miss.Green Hat - Glad you liked my drama, especially since most of the stories just going to be bickering. Oh well, write to your talents.

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Frecklednproud - Lol, no, James sucked at comforting. It's cause I get annoyed when heros always know the perfect way to comfort. God, I KNOW. (On the bosses front.) I had to go into work yesterday and pick up my last paycheck. I expected one of the head cashiers to be in the cash room, right? Which is who is usually in there. But the head boss, Store Manager, controller of like two hundred people was in there. Ahh! So awkward. But quitting's the worst. Gah. I hate it. That's why I want to be a writer; I get to work for myself.

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BrittanyRose - I'm really glad you said that. I'd say mine is about eighty percent fluff, and by fluff, I mean bickering, but I also like to have a slight backbone. Makes me feel like it's going somewhere, even if I don't yet know where.

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dee023 - Good, you were left with questions. Yay! Lol, hope it'll make you feel better to know I didn't have any answers either when I finished. Ha. I just sort of write and hope it turns out well.

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Keliadry - Whoo! Suspense is fun. Yeah, I read . . . somewhere, prolly Mugglenet (I am so envious of Emerson) that the school years for Lily James go up to 1978. So, um, I'm writing in 1978. Weird, or what? Oh, right, Voldemort. Silly guy. Just crept in.

Also, a huge thanks to the rest: chikichiki, Alienist, ginny-rox-my-sox01, sugur-huny-bun, Scarletteyes, Son Of Evil, the-honest-liar, sdcfsdf, **fsadfds**, **Hermione Granger63**, **Kristin**, **oasis**, **Heiress-To-The-Dark-Throne, Randomisation, WhiteCamellia, Amandinka**


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